[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The Dong-gu Council of Gwangju Metropolitan City issued a statement on the 20th in the main assembly hall, urging the Seoul Metropolitan Government to impose strong penalties on Hyundai Development Company, which has repeatedly caused serious accidents.
The Dong-gu Council members pointed out, "The administrative penalty Hyundai Development Company received for the Hakdong disaster, which resulted in 17 casualties, was only an 8-month business suspension and a fine of 400 million won."
They added, "Hyundai Development Company, which encouraged substandard construction through lowest-price subcontracting and illegal multi-level subcontracting for corporate unfair profits and condoned illegal acts by subcontractors, thereby taking innocent citizens' lives, showed shamelessness by filing a provisional injunction lawsuit refusing even the 8-month business suspension."
They also claimed, "At the time of the Hakdong disaster, the Seoul Metropolitan Government imposed an 8-month business suspension for 'substandard construction charges' and an additional 8-month suspension for 'violation of subcontractor management obligations.' However, by accepting Hyundai Development Company's request to change the fine penalty and withdrawing the additional business suspension, Seoul City has sparked controversy over leniency, deepening distrust and suspicion toward the city."
The council members stated, "Seoul City's lenient administrative penalties will not be acceptable to the public," urging, "We call on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to accept administrative penalties and to impose strong administrative measures such as deregistration on Hyundai Development Company, which took precious lives through illegal and substandard construction."
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